Joe's Manifesto

Our newest guide, Joe is first up to share his manifesto. You can be sure to take part in the sensory discoveries and reconnection to the land that Joe describes when you go on tour with him-

The reasons why I guide are many. They are rooted in my life experiences and the way I live my life. They are based upon a fondness and an appreciation of nature that has been with me since I first started playing in the outdoors as a child. Being a guide allows me to share my love of nature with others. My love of nature and my passion for educating others about nature can be characterized by the way nature stimulates my senses.

The spectrum and diversity of colors displayed in nature cause my eyes to widen with wonder. Purple, blue, red, orange, and yellow blooming flowers contrasted with vibrant, green leaves and dark, rich soil. Grey and white mountain peaks perched atop a sea of green old growth forests. Opaque mountain streams contrasted with white, bubbly foam that caresses over mossy, green boulders and jagged, brown logs. Every shade of green the visible spectrum is capable of processing. What other colors would nature reveal if our eyes were able to see into other spectrums?

Nature also provides a symphony of sounds that mesh together in a harmonious crescendo. Nature’s symphony is also characterized by brief and prolonged periods of silence; by the high-pitched chirps of song birds, by the deep rumble of wind rushing through lofting canopies; by the dull thud of a sugar pine cone hitting the ground at near terminal velocity; by the plop of a glorious redband trout breaking the surface of water, swallowing a bug, and crashing back down in the water; and by the high-pitched call of birds of prey.

Nature’s smells carry both near and far, catching a free ride on the diverging currents of air. Springtime flowers release perfumes and aromas, designed to entice the critters that have coevolved with nature’s plants. The aroma of pine needles seems to amplify as ambient temperature increases. The smell of a campfire is a primal lure that beckons the adventurer into the heat and comfort of fire.

The tastes of nature are subtle and distinct. Many of nature’s plants present medicinal and culinary gifts to mankind. Wild berries provide a burst of moisture that can be either sweet or sour. The ranging tastes of pine needles are only limited by the number of cone-bearing species present in the forests. Some needles are spicy, some are tart, and some are bitter. The taste of fresh, mountain spring water is pure and unadulterated by anthropogenic activities.

Nature is perhaps best perceived by the touch. Thick plates of bark, which shield the mighty Ponderosa pine, are as tough and enduring as tank armor. Thick, serrated edges of bark nearly pierce one’s fingertips. Soils consisting of varying mixes of sand, silt, and clay leave traces of moisture as they pass through one’s fingers and cascade back to the earth. Some plants are waxy, others have thorns. Some leave rashes that serve as a reminder not to touch again.

- Joe Checketts